Coaching Paralympic Powerlifting Champions - Ben Richens

The Progress Theory

Hello and welcome to The Progress Theory where we discuss how to implement scientific principles to optimise human performance. On this episode, we have GB ParaPowerlifting High-Performance Coach, Ben Richens.

Paralympic powerlifting is different to traditional powerlifting as it focuses on one lift: The bench press. Paralympic powerlifting is a sport that is growing quickly in the UK and we’ve got a strong contingent heading to the Tokyo Paralympic games, all of which are coached by Ben Richens. Yet despite its growing popularity, there are many who are unfamiliar with the sport. In this episode, Ben describes the training and coaching differences between traditional powerlifting and paralympic powerlifting, where common programming mistakes are made, and how you can get into the sport.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 2:00 - Why Ben did this podcast while in isolation (his recent competition in Dubai)
• 2:45 - An introduction to Ben Richens
• 6:58 - How Ben got into Powerlifting and Para-Powerlifting
• 11:12 - The difference between powerlifting and para-powerlifting
• 15:56 - Ben’s fulfilment and accomplishments in coaching and coaching Para-powerlifting
• 20:44 - The Invictus Games
• 23:40 - The team for the Paralympic games
• 24:46 - Getting involved in para-powerlifting
• 27:09 - Programming for para-powerlifting
• 28:56 - Training for performance and quality of life
• 34:22 - Longevity and progress in para-powerlifting
• 40:43 - creating small wins to avoid the repetitiveness of training
• 41:42 - common mistakes when training the bench press
• 48:06 - Advice for getting into para-powerlifting coaching
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Final Thoughts

Thank you to Ben Richens for coming onto The Progress Theory and talking about his work with the GB para-powerlifting team. For a sport that is quite simple in nature, it is truly fascinating, and Ben did an amazing job discussing his ideas around training and the differences between the bench press and para-powerlifting bench press.

I just wanted to provide some final thoughts on key areas which really stood out to me.

Firstly, it was the importance of variables outside of the training programme which will have such a profound effect on the athlete. As coaches, we spend hours thinking of how to create the most beneficial programme that is specific to the athlete. However, if poor lifestyle factors such as lack of sleep, poor food choices and a lack of water are being followed by an athlete, then the effectiveness of the programme will never be realised. Often it is these lifestyle factors that are more important for an athletes progress than the programme itself. We should be aware of this as coaches and educate our athletes appropriately.

Secondly, the importance of training for quality of life. We sometimes get over-focussed on programming to improve performance that we forget how that might affect the athlete outside of the gym/sport. If we drastically reduce an athlete’s quality of life through the training and our programming, it may lead to a situation where the reduced quality of life now negatively affects the training. It can be a vicious circle. This highlights the need for us to be athlete-focused with our programming. Always think ‘How is your programming going to improve this athlete at their sport and as a person?’

Anyways I hope you enjoyed this episode. As Ben says, we need more lifting clubs so get busy and start one. What better way to become better at training is by immersing yourself in the right environment that you’ve created for yourself. It would be awesome if you could also leave us a review and share this episode on your insta story to help the show grow. Also, head to our website theprogresstheory.com and listen to our other episodes. We’ll see you in the next one.

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The Science of Hybrid Training

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